p. 1 Haverford College Library Special Collections Finding Aid for the SHEPPARD FAMILY PAPERS, 1656-1887 Collection No. 858 3 document boxes (1.5 linear feet) April, 2007 RESTRICTIONS No restrictions ABSTRACT The collection particularly provides connections between Irish and Philadelphia Friends in the 18 th century, especially the Sheppard and Wansborough families who intermarried. Included are letters of John Wilbur, central in the Gurney-Wilbur controversy. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE John Wilbur (1774-1856), a minister in the Society of Friends, was born in Rhode Island, but visited England and Ireland twice on religious service. The controversy that divided him from Joseph John Gurney was on the interpretation of Truth. He opposed bible schools, as tending to beget a too literal knowledge of Truth, and objected to foreign missions as supports to a ministry appointed by humans. In 1843, Wilbur was disowned, which led to a separation in New England Yearly Meeting. He was the author of several works. (Information from: Dictionary of Quaker Biography) SUBJECT HEADINGS Wilbur, John, 1774-1956 Church work -- Society of Friends Irish-American Quakers Lay ministry -- Society of Friends Quakers -- Ireland Society of Friends -- Wilburite controversy
p. 2 SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION Papers consist of letters, minutes, accounts, memorials, deeds, marriage certificates, wills, and other documents. Noteworthy among the letters are those from a group of Irish Friends, including James Wansborough (fl. 1700-1728), especially political information, e.g. reporting hardships suffered under the Catholic monarchy and the coming to power of William of Orange, Robert Dawson, Joseph Armitage, and Thomas Sheppard to Thomas, Moses, and Ann Wansborough Sheppard, in America, 1700-1741; letters of John Sheppard to son Clarkson and future daughter-in-law, Anne Garrett, 1841-1843; letters of Nathan Cook, Joseph Kite and Mary Kite, telling of the Wilburite controversy in Ohio, Philadelphia, and other Yearly Meetings, 1846-1856; letters from John Wilbur to Rebekah [sic] Walton, 1848-1851. Documents include notes and extracts from Minutes of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1827-1861, including mention of the Separation of 1827-1828, accounts, memorials, deeds, marriage certificates, wills, and two records, 1656-1843, of Friends in the ministry who visited America from Europe, and vice versa as well as a list of ministers in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, 1831-40.. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION Box 1: Letters: Wansborough, James, fl.1700: to Thomas Sheppard (in Cohansey, West Jersey, in America). Westmeath [Ireland] May 4, 1700. [Tells of hardships under Catholic monarch, coming to power of William of Orange and restoration of peace; gives news of family and friends. (With 3 transcripts) to Thomas Sheppard (in Cohansey, West Jersey, in America). Westmeath, Ireland, April 9, 1716. [Gives family news; mentions trouble in Scotland with the pretender (Bonnie Prince Charley) and the Jacobites.](With 3 transcripts) to Thomas Sheppard (in Cohansey, West Jersey, in America). Westmeath, Ireland, April 20, 1716. (With 2 transcripts) to sister. Balenlugg, April 18, 1728. [News of family and friends] to Robert Dawson, (son of Daniel Dawson and Praxcy Wansborough): to Moses Sheppard, Cohansey, West Jersey. Bristol, July 23, 1732 and Philadelphia, April 3, 1741. (With transcript)
to Joseph and Esther Armitage, (with Samson and Rachel Bascorfield). Sheppard family p. 3 to aunt, Ann (Wansborough) Sheppard, Cohansey, Salem County, West Jersey, America. April 2-10, 1724. [Concern sale of land and settling of an inheritance] 2 items (with 2 transcripts of each) Sheppard, Thomas: to Ann (Wansborough) Sheppard, Cohansey, Salem County. West New Jersey, America. Archerstowne, Jan. 26, 1726. (With 2 transcripts) [Gives her news of family in Ireland] Albertson, Jacob: Cook, Nathan: to cousin. Plymouth, 12mo. 24, 1856-12mo. 16, 1857. 3 items. to Joseph Kite. Harrisville, Harrison Co., 9mo. 9, 1852. [Gives account of Yearly Meeting (Ohio?), including refusal to hear epistle from New England. (Wilburite controversy)] Evans, Jonathan: to M. Ratcliff. Philadelphia, 8mo. 24, 1838. See [Walton?] Abby Kite, Joseph, 1795-1854: to Mary Kite, 1846-1854. 55 items. [Nearly all concerned with Meeting affairs and controversies, especially the Wilburite] Phil., 9mo. 7, 1846, [tells of reports on upheaval in Ohio Y.M. about the Gurney- Wilbur controversy.] Phil., 3mo. 12, 1852, [tells of Upper Evesham M.M. refusing to read John Wilbur's certificate.] Phil., 6mo. 19, 1852: [comments on deplorable state of various Meetings.] Meeting.] Phil., 9mo. 27, 1852, [tells of persecution of Mead Atwater in (N.Y.?)
p. 4 Phil., 10mo. 3, 1852, [tells of Robert Scotton's account of his work with the Indians and of his testimony in Rochester Meeting, to the discomfiture of Lindley Murray Moore.] Phil., 10mo. 12, 1852, [tells of conflict in Ohio Y M. about Gurney- Wilbur controversy.] Phil., 10mo. 31, 1852, [tells of ministry of Elizabeth Redman]. Jones]. Phil., 1mo. 6, 1853, [gives several anecdotes from the recollections of Ann Phil., 5mo. 30, 1853, [contains denunciation of Hicksism.] Phil., 9mo. 11, 1853, [quotes from letters received, describing conflict between Wilburites and Gurneyites in Ohio Yearly Meeting.] Phil., 11mo. 11, 1853, [has anecdote about Nicolas Waln and James Simpson at Phil. Y.M.] Phil., 12mo. 26, 1853, [quotes at length from letter of John Wilbur, dated from England, 11mo. 22, 1853.] Ohio Y.M. ] Meeting.] Phil., 9mo. 9 & 9 mo. 14, 1854, [quotes at length from letter telling about Phil., 9mo. 30, 1854, [account of Eliza P. Gurney holding forth in Comparisons between Joseph Kite's accounts of Meetings and his letters to his sister Mary, plus extracts from his letters to Mary, 1846-1853. (Filed at end of these, obituary notices for Joseph, 10mo. 29, 1854, age. ca.59, and Mary 3mo. 22, 1861, age. 68) Kite, Mary, 1792-l861: A Small Tribute to the Memory of Frances Phipps. to nephew Joseph [Walton?] East Bradford, 12mo. 5, 1842. to Joseph Edgerton, Mt. Pleasant, Ohio. Phil., 8mo. 20, 1843. to Joseph Walton, Jr., Phil. 9mo. 8, 1848. [Discusses spiritual and Meeting matters] to a friend. Phil. 4mo. 16, 1848. [Meeting events]
p. 5 to Joseph Kite, Phil. [n.p.] 11mo. 7, 1852. to brother Joseph. East Bradford, 5mo. 28, 1853. to a friend. [n.p.] 5mo. 8, 1856. [Speaks of conflict in Meeting, connected with Wilburite Separation] North, Elizabeth C: Letters to cousin, Rebecca (Walton) Kite, 1832-1864. 3 items. [Plummer?] G.G. and J.M: Seward, M: to Joseph Kite, Phila. Pa. Mt. Pleasant,[Ohio] 7mo. 24, 1844. to M. Boswell. [n.p., n.d.] [Tells of Dr. Johnson's displeasure with a young girl who became a Quaker] (copy) Sheppard, John. 1767-1855: to son Clarkson. Greenwich, 10mo. 13, 1841. to Anne Garrett. Greenwich, 9mo. 1843. Walton, Rebecca: to friends. Westerly, 8mo. 18, 1850. [Tells of visit with John Wilbur].(copy) [Walton] Abby [Abi (Kite)?] (l787-): to sister, Rebecca Walton. 2 items. Cincinnati, 5mo. 18 and 6mo. 18, 1847. Wilbur, John, 1774-1856: Box 2: Letters to Rebekah [sic] Walton, Phil. Hopkinton [R.I.] 1848-1851. 3 items. Notes, extracts from Minutes, etc., Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1827, 1830-1851, 1861. 34 items, in 5 folders. (4 folders in Box 2; 1 folder in Box 3) Box 3:
p. 6 Miscellaneous manuscript items: List of Ministers in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, 1831-1840. Family Record, Sheppard family. 2 p.
p. 7 Poem and picture, "The Blind Grandfather," (and other pictures) 4 p. Signed on back, Elizabeth Cresson Kite, 1844, Philadelphia. "A Remarkable Testimony of David Sands," copied from the Evening Fireside. Copied by Clarkson Sheppard, Greenwich, 5mo. 1, 1843. Account of a journey by Thomas Scattergood, Jonathan Evans, T.W., and S.B., appointed by the Meeting for Sufferings to attend a certain session of the Pa. Legislature at Lancaster,[during which journey T. Scattergood stopped so many times for meetings that they were nearly too late at the Legislature.] 3 p. Copy of a Minute of 7mo. 22, 1783, on receiving a certificate of removal for John Payne, coming from Virginia to Phila. to settle. Minute from [London] Meeting for Sufferings, 11mo. 4, 1853, warning [English] Friends not to accept any ministry from John Wilbur, who has just been disowned by New England Friends. Memorial to, and account of last hours of, Edith Jefferis, b. 2mo. 21, 1811, d.4mo. 14, 1843. Memorial to, and account of last hours of Henry C. Williams, d. Westtown, 12mo. 1, 1842. Also poem by him. Account of two deaths, one in the Kite family (one, Joseph Walton, the father of Benjamin, Joseph, and Mary) 1853-1856. Letter of J. Woods, telling of Susan S. Wood's death. Tunesassah, [sic] 11mo. 16, 1813. Extract from Ann Branson's letter, 5mo. 2, 1866, concerning death of mother of [- --] Kite (mother-in-law of Lydia Kite) Memorial and account of death of John Harper of Germantown, 3mo. 15, 1851. Anecdotes about Jesse Kersey of Downingtown. 4 p. Anecdote, 1/18/74, about Charles Lippincott in 1820. Extracts from the treaty of William Penn with the Indians. 1787. Abstract from Minutes of Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, Phila., 9mo. Extracts from Minutes of Yearly Meeting, Phila., 1778.
p. 8 "Essay on War," [by Joseph Walton, Moorestown, N.J.?] (Type and manuscript paste-up) Poem, "1844, 1mo. 1st." Notes on early history of Moylan-Rose Valley. Notes on Nether Providence Township, Del. Co., Pa. James Wansborough's notes on Ballymore and Birr [in Ireland] Other miscellaneous notes and extracts. ca. 46 items. Deeds: (See also: Materials removed) Brief of the Title to the Meeting-house and Graveyard Lots in Providence: Advice of William Graham. Chester, Sept. 19, 1809. Susannah Stratham to John Sheppard, March 19, 1776. Peter Reeve to John Sheppard, Jr., 12mo. 29, 1798. Levi Bond to John Sheppard, Dec. 19, 1806. Timothy Elmer to John Sheppard, Aug. 17, 1810. Edward Smith and Others to Mark M. Sheppard, Nov. 16, 1847. Marriage Certificates: (See also: Materials removed) John Sheppard and Priscilla Wood. 12mo. 8, 1756, at Greenwich, Cumberland Co., N.J. (Photocopy) John Sheppard and Mary Miller. 4mo. 30, 1788, at Salem, N.J. Wills and Related Papers: (See also: Materials removed) Will:(copy) Clarkson Sheppard of Media, Del. Co., Pa. 1mo. 25, 1893. Also, certificate of the proving of Clarkson Sheppard's will. Media, Oct. 16, 1895. (With copy of will attached) Will: (copy) Mary S. Walton [n.p.] 11mo. 24, 1905. Also, memoranda to accompany will of Mary S. Walton, 1mo., 1916.
p. 9 Letter from John W. Biddle, executor of the estate of R.C. Sheppard, to his cousin, enclosing a transcript of his accounting, plus 3 slips, showing individual payments. Phil., 4mo. 9, 1892. Sheppard family - Genealogy. (Photocopy of ms. notes. 1l) Survey book (Muncy District, Cumberland Co., N.J.) 1766-69. (Laid in: 4 items, including a signed statement by Henry Drinker, 1mo. 19, 1790) Picture of Friends Almshouse, Phila. Built, 1729; torn down, 1840. (Reproduction of black and white sketch, 14 x 19cm.) Account of the Contributions in the Monthly Meetings of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, etc., of that Yearly Meeting for the relief of Friends in England and Ireland, 1801. Ministering Friends of America who have visited foreign parts on Truth's Service, 1685-1839. Ministering Friends of America who have visited Foreign Parts on Truth's Service, 1675-1843. An account of Friends in the Ministry who visited America from Europe, 1656-1830; American Friends who went on Religious visits to Europe, 1693-1834. Names of Friends who paid a Religious Visit to their Brethren in America, from 1656-1766. List of names of members of Middletown Preparative Meeting, 1st. mo., 1829. MATERIALS REMOVED Deed: Benjamin and Mary Tyler, of Greenwich, Cumberland Co., N.J., to John Sheppard. 3mo. 20, 1769. STORED IN 990-B. Deed: Rebecca Zane, Hannah Hartshorne, Sarah Bradway, and Elizabeth Test to John Sheppard, May 18, 1775. STORED IN 990-B. Deed: Abel and Rebecca Bacon to John Sheppard, Jr., June 1, 1793. ST0RED IN 990-B. Marriage certificate: Joseph Kite, Jr., and Deborah P. Cresson. 9mo. 14, 1830, at Phil. STORED IN 990-B. Deed: John E. Sheppard and Margaret Garrett. 1mo. 2. 1840. at Phil. STORED IN 990 B.
p. 10 Marriage certificate: Clarkson Sheppard and Anne Garrett. 9mo. 5, 1843, at Phil. STORED IN 990-B. Marriage certificate: Joseph J. Walton and Mary M. Sheppard. 9mo. 13, 1882, at Media, Del. Co, Pa. STORED IN 990-B. Will: Moses Sheppard of Fairfield, Cumberland Co., N.J. Nov. 17, 1752. STORED IN 990-B. Miscellaneous printed items (pamphlets, leaflets, 22 items) The Liberia Herald, Sept. 7, 1832. Epistle from John Fothergill, 1779 (printed) Epistles from London Yearly Meeting, 1792 and 1799 (printed) Epistle from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1821 (2 copies, printed)